POLAR EXPLORATION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11853, 9 June 1919, Page 6

POLAR EXPLORATION.

STEFANSSON’S EXPEDITION. NEW" ZEALANDER’S STORY. A New Zealander, Dr Diamond Jenness, who returned to Wellington on Tuesday, had thrilling experience with the Canadian Arctic Expedition, commanded by Captain Stefansson. After three years in the frozen wastes of the noith Dr Jenness was a year with the Canadian troops in Prance. In the beginning of 1913, Dr Jenness, who was then in New Zealand, received a cablegram from the Canadian Government asking him to join the expedition. He accepted, and the expedition left from Esquimait in June 1, 1913, and proceeded via Nome, a mining centre on the Alaskan Coast. At Noine two gasolene schooners, and a vessel named the Karluk were pruchased and equipped with Arctic paraphernalia The expedition had a two-fold purpose to explore Beanford Sea in search of new land, carry out detailed scientific work, mapping the coastline and making a study of zoology and biology, etc., in the almot unknown regions of the Coronation Gulf. The expedition, therefore, divided into a northern party, under Stefansson, to explore Beauford Sea; and a southern party, of which Dr Jenness was a member, and whose work was to make a special study of the Esquimaux. Stefansson sailed north in the Kar Ink, leaving the schooners with the southern party for the time being. The Karluk, however, was fated not to return, for she was jambed in the ice. Of the six scientists with that party three perished during the terrible journey over the £ice, and two more succumbed to disease after the island had been gained. Two of the crew of 23 men died —one on the ice and the other on the island. The Karluk being lost, Stefansson resolved to .carry on his exploration by sledge. “.Therefore he organised a new party, and set off fomßeauford Sea, where he remained for four years to the west and north of Prince Patrick Laud. Meanwhile the remainder of the party marooned on Wrangell Island were experiencing terrible hardships. The food supply, scant at first, dwindled to practically nil. Captain Bartlett, one of the party, who had been Peary’s captain when the American explorer reached the North Pole, set out across the ice to the shore, and then made his way to an isolated Russian settlement with the news of the terrible plight of the remainder of the party. Nothing could be done till the following summer, when the ice fields broke up. Help was then despatched by sea, and the men on Wrangell Island were rescued. In the summer of 1914 the vessels went on their way to Coronation Bay where, says Dr Jenness, “we spent two fairly peaceable years, though it was a little cold at time. ’’ Specimens of plants, animals, and insects were collected, and Dr Jenness took up the study of Esquimaux life and customs. The geologist with that party discovered enormous deposits of copper. Not copper ore, but 99 per cent, pure copper somewhat similar to the great Lake Superior deposits. Dr Jenness made a comprehensive collection of specimens in the Coronation Gulf region, taking back some 80 cases to Canada. No news was received that the war had commenced until November, 1916.